Faith the Series
by hallopino
Summary: Faith is given a opportunity for redemption, by fighting the good fight in Canada. Hey, demons don't only lurk in California.
1. Teaser

A gray bus travels down an all but deserted road, leaving a cloud of gray dust in its wake. Inside, past the guards, past the locks, sits a crew of orange clad women. Over the engine and the noise of the bus rattling along the gravel road, there is the murmuring of voices sharing their exploits, and downfalls leading them to this juncture. In the back seat there is one keeping to her self.

Looking out the window as a dead leafless tree crosses the landscape, she knows why she's here, and what she needs to do. She deserves it. This punishment. Barely 18 years of age, the stress from her past has made her look older then she really is. Darkness seems to loom under her tired brown eyes. The color of her lips has seemed to fade. Long brown hair is merely an annoyance as it lands in her face as the bus comes to a halt.

The front bus doors open to make way for a uniformed large woman. If it wasn't for the lack of an accent one could have easily confused her for one of those infamous East German Olympic swimmers. She stepped up to the cage like wall separating the passengers from the driver, unlocked the gate and spoke, "Ladies, welcome to Xerine State Prison."

One by one the prisoners were lead from the bus to the secure complex that will become their home for the next several decades. Maybe only years if they are lucky. Finally two guards enter and lead out the silent brunette from the vehicle. They lead her through a maze of institutional white corridors. One hallway seemed to look like the one before it, and so on and so on. Ultimately leading her to a dark room with a solitary lamp hanging from the ceiling. Something was wrong. She could feel it.

The brunette squinted into the darkness, and saw nothing. The light failed to stretch to the walls leaving her with little idea of the size of the room. Her ears perked as a foot came out of the darkness and made a hard dull sound on the cement behind her. Listening closely, she can hear as something is whistling in the air coming at her. Instinctively she ducks. She can the air break as knife passes above her.

The girl spun around as fast as her shackled feet would allow, in time to see the Eastern Block woman from the bus taking another swipe at her with the knife. The worn and tired girl catches the blade in the links of the cuffs on her wrists. With a twist of her wrists she disarms the giant woman.

The girl raises an eyebrow as a sound reminiscent of a dying moose emanates from the refrigerator shaped woman as she yells and lunges at the petite figure ready to rip her apart. In a movement almost too fast to be witnessed by the human eye, the fight is over. The mammoth woman, now doubled over on the ground gasping for air, the girl's fist still remaining in the space the woman's stomach once occupied.

She hears a lone person clapping slowly, and turns to face that direction. Adrenaline pumping through her body, she ready herself of the expected.

Out of the darkness stepped a man in Snoopy shirt. OK, a well torn and tattered man, in a brand spanking new Snoopy shirt. Guessing from the dirty and blood-stained dress pants and scuffed shoes, the previous shirt was long gone. She noticed a combination of fresh and healing cuts, scratches and bruises on his face. He had one stretching across his lips as he spoke, "Good job, Faith. We'd like to make a deal with you."

Faith backed up in protest, tired brown eyes a little wide from shock. "Whoa, no, I already told Wolfram and Hart no! I don't deserve to be free."

"No, you don't deserve the calmness and the tranquility of prison." The man calmly expressed and he casually put his hands behind his back, "And we're not Wolfram and Hart and we never said anything about setting you free. Annette."

"What about a net?" Faith muttered with confusion conquering her face, and a sharp pain entering the back of her neck. Everything seemed to degrade into slow motion, as the room drifted greater and greater into darkness till the only thing left was black.


	2. Act I

Faith hurt. Every muscle ached. Her back and neck moaned in agony. She could feel that she was sitting in a chair with her body slumped over a table. Back and neck pain was making her guess she'd been there for a while. The girl couldn't lie there any longer. She pulled her up and sat back in the plush chair she found her self in as she opened her eyes to take in her surroundings.

She found her self in what seemed like a corporate conference room, clearly something where they spared no expense. Glass table. Leather chairs. Tele-conferencing equipment. There were a few things she couldn't recognize as even being of this world.

One wall was nothing but an exterior window. She could tell that she was several stories up, and in a large city. There were other skyscrapers surrounding the building. In the distance of the night sky she could see lights continuing out for miles, but she didn't recognize the skyline.

Since there didn't appear to be any immediate danger, Faith took to the time take stock of her self. Something wasn't right. It was very far from right. While it was nice to be free of the cold steal of the hand cuffs and shackles, the orange jumpsuit that once draped over her body was missing as well. Instead she was now dressed in a very professional business outfit. Blouse, blazer, skirt, heals.

"Who the hell changed my clothes? I'm going to kill them!" She screamed as she shot out of her chair. Faith froze when she caught what she said. No. No more killing. She knew it was an expression, but still. That's when she caught her reflection in the window. It was something she would never have imagined.

Faith stared at her reflection. She looked so different, but it was her. In the gray suit and her hair up in a bun, she looked so insignificant. So unimportant. She used to be someone. She was The Slayer. The one girl in all the world, blah blah blah. Now she was, she looked so dull, so bland. She looked and felt like a cog in the machine. She felt stripped of her identity. She hated it. This was worse then jail.

The petite brunette was examining a new dull silver bracelet that was around her wrist when she awoke, when he heard the door open behind her. She watched two people enter the room from the reflection in the window. Reluctantly she turned the face them, with only a look of hate.

"Sorry about the delay Faith, but we had no idea how long the drugs would last on you. Being the slayer and all," It was the man from the prison. This time he appeared to be well dressed in a pressed and polished gray suit. And wounds from before had been dressed and cleaned. Staying a couple steps behind him was an young lady, blonde hair meticulous placed up into a bun. Pant suit looking flawless on her frame. She wasn't much larger then Faith was, but clearly had an age advantage of several years.

"Look, I don't know who the hell you are. Who you think you are. Or who the hell you think I am, but let me go back to jail." Faith's brown eyes looked hurt and vounerable, as she asked.

"Faith, please have a seat" Said the man as he pulled out a chair for him self and placed him self at the head of the table. The blonde behind him took flank standing just over his right shoulder. She was holding a pile of manila folders in her hands. Faith watched her unblinking as she reluctantly returned to the seat she found her self in before at the foot of the table. Faith couldn't tell if the look she was receiving from the blonde was hate, or jealousy, or if she normally had a stick up her ass.

"Faith, my name is Agent Linnel," the man began his sales pitch. Faith had yet to decide if she was going to care yet, but since, she was pretty much trapped and probably officially 'escaped' from prison, she figured she should. He continued, "and the woman you see to my right is Annette." It took Faith a moment for the name to click, but when she did, she was certain she didn't like her. Faith rubbed her neck.

"We're with the government," Linnel continued, until Faith cut him off, "Wait is this that Inituativ-"

"No that was the American government" Annette spoke out with a snooty French accent., "We are completely different from that travesty."

"Faith, we're Canadian." Linnel once again held the floor. "Welcome to Toronto."

"Canada?" Faith asked almost mockingly with a raised eyebrow. Faith starts to get up. "Well while this has all been nice and good, if you don't mind dropping be back across the border so I can go back to jail that would be nice."

Linnel stands up to head Faith off, "Look one girl in all the worl-"

"Hey, shove it. I already know that speech." Faith cuts him off, and mockingly continues his speech for him. "One girl in aallll the world is the chosen one. The Slayer. It's a load of bull. I'm not The Slayer, I'm just a slayer."

"Look," Linnel continued, "there is a slayer in Sunnydale, CA, and a hero vampire in LA. What about the rest of the world, Faith? There are demons crawling all over this rock. Who makes it safe for the rest of the world to walk hom at night. That's were we come in"

Linnel paused for a moment watching Faith's reaction. Trying to see if he was through to her.

"There's a hellmouth here. Instead of rotting away in jail letting innocents disappear in the dark while you accept your 'punishment'. Why not try to make a up for your past. Save people that need help from you. Seek redemption."

A couple moments passed in silence. Faith was debating it in her mind as she figited with the new bracelet. Turning it on her wrist she saw a small red light on it.

"I don't really have a choice in the matter do I?" Faith asked as she looked up to Linnel and raised her wrist as well showing the light.

Linnel squirmed a bit at being exposed. "Faith, I can explain."

"I don't think I need the explanation. I can figure it out on my own," Faith shot back rapid fire, "I'm not stupid."

"I'll like a second opinion" Annette interjected, rolling her eyes.

Faith glared at Annette with a look that would have crushed most. Annette seemed to glow from Faith's annoyance.

"Let me guess," Faith continued , "I step out of line, or do a no-no, I get a little zip, or slap on the wrist, or something?"

"You don't want to know," Linnel sighed, "Look it's not us. It's was sent down from both the Canadian, and US governments and the Watcher's Council."

"That's it, I heard enough" Faith taking off the blazer and throwing it at them. "I'll take my chances. I'm not going to be some one's puppet Mountie Slayer."

The brunette stormed out the door, slamming it behind her leaving a thunderous noise.

Annette takes a step forward to stop Faith, but is cut of by Agent Linnel, "Let her go. She'll be back. Not that she has much of a choice."

Faith let her hair down as the elevator doors closed in front of her. As her hair fell against her blouse she could see her reflection in the metal doors. She was looking more like her normal self already. She was already mentally planning go out, find some better clothes, find a place to sleep. Maybe if she felt better in the morning. She might come back in the morning.

The doors opened and Faith headed out across the lobby. A door man was about to open the door for her, when he saw a light flashing on Faith's silver bracelet.

"Miss Faith, ma'am," the door man addressed her. "It might be best if you don't head out, eh?"

Faith looked down and saw the bracelet giving a warning flash.

"I'll risk it. How bad could it be" Faith stubbornly said before brushing past the door man into the night. It became the last thing she remembered doing.


	3. Act II

His back hit hard against the thick cement of a crypt. He could feel some of the cement crack with age at the impact His body winced in pain. The cammo clad man looked up and opened his eyes in time to see an oncoming fury of fangs, drool, and blood. Weaponless, the well trained man looked around for some asset to counteract the monster's attack.

Normally these demons are easily capable of blending with the human population. But when they feed or get angry, and fight they're appearance changes into monsters. Their eyes turn yellow and forehead forms grotesque bumps. They are the vampires.

The monster's yellow eyes glowed as it swung at the commando's crew cut head. He ducked and put his shoulder into the vampire pushing him back much like a football player, until he hit a tombstone. The vampire screamed in pain, while the man held him there. He could hear flesh sizzle and feel heat starting to form. The commando released his hold and backs away as the demon bursts into flame before quickly becoming a pile of ash. The soilder stopped and leaned on the cross shaped tombstone he has held the creature against, while he caught his breath. Dangling from his neck were dog tags that read 'Miller, Graham' followed by a serial number.

Graham looked around and noticed the artifact he was trying to protect was gone. He needed help to get it back before it found its way to Toronto based hellmouth.

Morning broke, Agent Linnel moved slowly into his office. His body ached and moaned from battles of the past. He'd easily passed up Jackie Chan, with the number of bones he'd had broken over the years. He'd done his best to fight the good fight. Protect people from the demons of the night. He was just a man though. Nothing special. Well he could possibly hold the world record for percentage of scar tissue.

He knew he could keep this up for much longer. The combination of age, and injuries has slowed him down. Only a matter of time before he'd face defeat at the hands of some demon either going after a helpless victim in an alley or trying to wipe half of Canada off the map. He needed Faith. He needed her help. He just needed for her to understand and to trust him.

Annette was already in his office, standing attentively at his desk waiting for him with a pile of folders held comfortably in her arms. This was no surprise. He wondered how early she woke up in the morning to arrive before him everyday. The unusual part was the hint of a smile across her lips.

Linnel sat down behind his desk and took some painkiller from his desk with a glass of water that always seemed to find it way on to his desk every morning. Annette stood at the corner of the desk, opened the first folder and started their morning meeting.

"There's an American who needs help tracking down a demon. I made you an appointment with him this afternoon," Annette stated as if it was a common everyday thing as she handed him the folder on that meeting.

Linnel flipped through the folder, skimming the material, "I think is something Faith can handle. Make sure she attends."

Annette makes a face at this assumption that she would be responsible for that little…

"About Faith, sir," The tall blonde started, but seemed to change what she was going to say when Linnel looked up to her. "er…She tried to escape last night and set off her bracelet."

Linnel kinda smirked amused, "I kinda figured she would. I'll go down to her room and get her."

Annette looked uncharacteristically nervous. "She's not in her room sir. She's on the 3rd floor."

Linnel's face turned deadly serious, "What? I thought we agreed we were NOT going to do that to her! It was just supposed to make her go back to her room, and that was IT!"

Annette took a sheepish step back and stammered for words. Linnel looked as if condemn her more, but didn't have the time.

"I need to get her" he finally simply muttered and left the room.

Light shone in through the lobby windows of Ryland Telecommunications. The lobby had several chairs lined up along the side, and a large Ryland logo up on the back wall. Underneath the company logo sat a large reception desk with a brown haired girl behind it filing some papers. Her hair was perfectly pulled back into a bun, her brown eyes hidden behind a pair of chunky eyeglasses.

She was dress very professionally in a pantsuit as she got up and crossed the room to pick up the mail for her boss and sort it accordingly. She was interrupted when the phone rang. She smiled and answered with a happy voice.

"Ryland Telecommunications. My name is Faith. How may I direct your call?"

Faith concluded the phone call and transferred the line to the desired party. She was about to continue with the mail when two people entered the lobby. One was a man, in his thirties who looked like he just got out of being in an action film, and behind him was a tall blonde who was reluctantly following him.

"Welcome to Ryland Telecommunications. How may I help you? Do you have an appointment?" Faith looked up to the duo and smiled.

The man sternly looked over the woman beside him, "Stop it, Annette."

"But I still-" Annette contradicted.

"Stop it." Linnel made his final say on the matter.

"Fine" Annette took out a small remote and clicked a green button. The red glow from the bracelet faded, as did Faith's smile.

Faith looked around the room confused; then took stock of her self. Perplexed as to why she was wearing glasses. She could at least figure that her current state had something to do with the fact the last thing she remembered was the bracelet flashing. In spite of the rage piling up with in her looking for anyway out, she voiced her complaint as calming as possible, or she figured she'd go back into the mental blackness she was in before.

"Why am I dressed up as Lucy the Librarian again?" Faith said as she removed the glasses with a voice that was soft but clearly got across the point that if she could, she'd rip their spines out through their throats.

"Faith, it's an accident," Linnel tried to apologize for the events that had transpired. Annette remaining behind him looked much less then the least bit regretful about anything that happened to Faith.

"_Accident_?" Faith said standing up, losing her composure, "No, an accident is misplacing luggage, maybe dropping a gun and having it go off. Look at me! This isn't an accident! Making me black out for hours then waking up in odd places in different clothes, and dressing me up as things, is **not** an accident! Who knows what else you did to me. Where are we now? China? Maybe next you'll dress me up as some catholic school girl? That fulfill your Canadian fantasies!"

"Faith, Faith, please," Linnel tried to say in a calm, disarming fasion. "Can you calm down enough to let me explain?"

"You damn well better explain," The furious slayer shot back, "or bracelet or not, I'll turn the both of you inside out."

Annette quickly reached for the remote again in fear of the brunette. Linnel could hear her rummaging for it in her purse and glared back to stop her from hitting the button to reactivate it. Annette was stunned. He'd never been mad at her before. It was all because of this annoyance, this girl. She knew she should have programmed Faith to be bimbo.

"Faith, have a seat please." Linnel asked Faith in a calming voice. Faith sat back down behind the desk, staying tense, just in case. Linnel pulled over one of the chairs from the wall, while Annette stood in front, quite annoyed. The agent sat in before Faith and took her hands. She found his touch oddly calming. She could feel he was sincere.

"This is our TRU, Tracking and Retrieval Unit. It's designed mostly for when we are required to work with someone that is a potential hazard, untrustworthy, or has had a…colorful track record. Both governments are requiring you to wear this as part of the deal for you to be here," He sighed and looked up at Faith with his grayish blue eyes, "I can tell I'm already not winning points here."

Linnel turned the bracelet to show the red light that was built into the silver circle before continuing, "How it works is that we can set in certain rules in the band. If the wearer, you, breaks those rules, or it is set off from the main receiver, a spell is activated. Yours was only supposed to make you return to your quarters. _Someone_, accidentally set it up the spell block you out and make you think you are the receptionist at Ryland Telecommunications. It's our dummy company so people don't know we're here."

Faith looked down and tried to take a calming breath, "Ok, I get the leash. I do. I'm not exactly the model of all that is good and clean and the Canadian way. But can we change the spell so I'm not going all Nerdy Nancy if I'm a few seconds late for curfew?"

"You see Faith," Linnel started. She could already tell this wasn't going to be good. "We can't change the magic on the bracelet, but we can order a new one. It will take a few weeks before we would receive it."

Faith was already thinking prison was better then this. But maybe she deserved it. She was still extreamly agitated, but couldn't really do anything about it at present.

"Faith," Linnel said trying to get her to look up at him again. "Faith?"

Faith stayed still. Looking down, and almost trembling, in either anger or fear of losing her self to some spell. She wasn't even sure.

"I think you broke her" The tall blonde stated in the moment of silence.

"Annette, get out!" snapped the agent briefly taking his attention away from the troubled slayer.

With a look and a huff the French-Canadian turned on her heals and left the room.

The black haired agent turned his attention back to the girl. He didn't know what to say right away and few moments were lost in an awkward silence. Ultimately he came out and told her what he had to tell her straight, from what he read she was not a person that liked things sugar coated, with the exception of breakfast cereals.

"Faith, we have someone coming in this afternoon that needs help tracking down a demon.. I would like for you to be there in the meeting and go out in the field and help with the hunt" Agent Linnel explained as nicely as he could.

Faith raised her head with a spiteful look, "Gee that almost sounds like a request. That mean I have a choice in the matter?" Raising her wrist bringing attention to the device.

"This isn't how I wanted things to go," Linnel stood from his chair slowly, "You can go to your quarters, change into what ever is comfortable. The formal business dress code is only for officers, and well..." trailing off before mentioning receptionists and secretaries. "We took a guess and have a range of items in your closet. Make a list of personal items, clothing you might need and we will see about getting that for you with in a few days. In the mean time you'll have to make due"

The agent adjusted his coat and made for the door, "Annette will come for you when it's time."

"Hey! Question before you go," Faith rose to stop Linnel before he left. "Where the hell _is _my room? I've only been there in brainwashed mode."


	4. Act III

Hours pass, and Faith waits laying on the bed of her room as if she were inside a jail cell. She was a potential prisoner of her own mind. They could turn her off and leave her their little secretary till she was 35 if they wanted to. They already proved they could take everything away from her, and probably worse.

Although, she considered, she escaped from the business dress code of blazers and skirts and pany hose and got to wear something that suited her a bit more favorably. There wasn't exactly a wide selection, but out of the mess she found her self some track pants and a tank top.It was cold and forced her to add a zipper sweatshirt over it. She found some boots her size to replace the heals they had shoved her in before. She kept her hair down like she liked it, and considered burning anything there that could be used to put her hair up with, but she had a feeling it would end up in a bun somehow.

She looked out the window and saw snow. She'd seen snow before, but it was wasn't like this. What she saw was like a cop out ending to cheesey christmas special snow. This was Snow. This was snow that caused people to put layers of clothing on. The kind that piles up in 3 foot piles from snow plows.

But it looked bueatiful. The sun was setting and casting a range of colors off the freshly falling snow and reflecting off the glass buildings. This was clearly the highlight of the day. She looked over at the clock and saw it was only 3:30pm. She looked back out side at the sun set.

"I can see why the vamps love this place. They have no body temperature and the sun sets mondo early. But not looking forward to patroling in that." Faith muttered aloud to her self.

A knock at the door shattered her thoughts. Faith rolled her eyes knowing who was at the door and sighed, "Here comes the ice bitch."

Faith crossed the room and opened the door. Annette stood there with a disapproving look and hands behind her back. A pair of discriminating eyes looked over Faith top to bottom.

"I don't know what he zees in you" She said pointedly.

"Take your finger off the brain dump button and I'll be happy to give you a demonstration" Faith gave back itching to hurt this girl. Even though she only reached Annette shoulder, it wouldn't have been much of a fight.

"Let'z go, " the blond stated and turned to head to the conference room. After a few paces down the hallway she spoke again, "You looked better with glasses covering your face."

Faith followed Annette into the conference room where she had found her self in before. At the table was Agent Linnel talking to a man in winter cammos about seomthing to do with a caveman and a space ship. She only caught the end of it. Linnel stopped his conversation upon Faith's entrace and stood. The military man at his side did the same.

"Faith," Linnel said welcoming before motioning over to the man at his side. "This is Agent Graham Miller. He's with the United State's departmant of….what's name this week?"

"We're still working on a name. Something to keep the conspirasy threorists away" Graham said with a half smile.

"Well, Graham, this is Faith," Linnel continued the introduction, "She's going to be helping you track down this demon of yours."

Graham extended a confident hand out to Faith. Faith gave the attempted handshake a look then reluctantly returned the gesture, if only to get this whole meeting over and done with.

Faith took a seat as well as the milliary men. Annette dimmed the lights and started a projector before taking her place standing at Linnel's side.

"We're looking for a demon that goes by the name of Berholtz," The new member of the group began as a image of a purple skinned demon took a place on the projecter screen. "He used to be human, but commited attrocities to mankind so wicked he was stricken from existance and was sent to hell. Which as it turns out wasn't all that bad of a punishment for this individual. He embraced it and loved every minute of it more then he ever had when he was alive.

Eventually his behavior banished him from hell. He was transformed into a demon with limited to no powers and sent back to this plane.

He's trying to recreate hell on earth, and has the hellmouth in Toronto set as his starting point."

Faith looks at the man increadulously. "Where do you get in information?"

"We have spies," Graham replied nonchilontly.

"In Hell?" Faith questioned.

"It's not the best assignment in the world." Graham continued, "A day ago I followed him up to this area were we has retrieving a final piece in a machine to turn humans into demons. A first step in his plans."

"I was unable to stop him"

"How can we locate the hostile?" Agent Linnel inquired, keeping the momentum of the meeting going.

"He'll want to trigger the device from the highest point nearest the hellmouth he can reach in order to affect the highest number of civilians." Graham answered. "We need to know where the hellmouth is."

"We have yet been unsuccesful in locating it" Linnel replied.

"Wait, you've been the super spies up here for who knows how long and you haven't found a giant hole of evil?" Faith interupted, "From past experience, I'd lay 20 bucks that we're sitting on it right now. US dollars not the funny Canadian stuff."

"If you don't mind, we'll use actual evidence to find the hellmouth" Annette shot out it almost felt like there should have been more of an insult on the end of that sentecne she omitted at the last moment. Annette picked a remote off the table and hit a blue button. Part of the ceiling slide aside as projecter lowered and shone an image of a photo on the wall.

Annette continued her speech, "Satalite survilance shows that the demon in question had been occuping a local graveyard and leading us right to the hellmouth."

Faith scowled at the smug blonde and crossed her arms.

"Agent Graham, I'm going to send Faith with you to the graveyard to find Berholtz. I'll stay here and try to keep tabs on him. If anything changes we'll contact you." Angent Linnel stated before standing up signaling the two to leave.

Faith remained seated. "What? No cool Q gear?"

"You didn't need any before." Linnel replied.

"Yeah, but I wasn't part of some insane Canadian demon hunting before." A couple moments of silence pass where Linnel is waiting for Faith. "Ok ok, I'm going" she says before getting up and leaving the room after Graham.

Snow fell from the night sky making the world seem like a black and white movie. Anything of color appeared to be covered by the whiteness of the snow, and devoured by the night's sky. Faith was now sporting a thick furry parka and mittens. She still shivered as snow landed in her dark hair, being unacustomed to the cold.

Walking beside her was Graham, dressed head to toe in the white and greys of winter commos. She looked over and could tell Faith was cold dispite the layers of clothes. He wanted to the gentlemanly thing but the jumpsuit commos don't work well for that. Instead went for the aim of conversation. Keep her mind of the cold.

"So…you're Faith?" He finally said.

Faith turned and gave him a stupid look, "Yeah? The metting and introduction rotine wasn't enough for you?"

"No no, I didn't mean that..it's just..Guy I worked with in Sunnydale knew you. Riley Finn. He told me about you."

Faith's gut filled with dred. There really wasn't a part of that sentence that was good. "oh?"

Graham tried to put her at easy. "Nothing bad. He mentioned you were a slayer like Buffy. More like you are the actually slayer and kind of a fluke that Buffy is stil here. Or at least how I understood it. He thought you were interesting, but really didn't get a chance to get to know the real you."

Faith looked over at Graham with a little relief. That was far from what she was half expecting. "Yeah…I don't really like to talk about that if you don't mind"

They walked with a few more moments as akward silence filled the air. Graham's ice breaker kinda failed as was trying to think of something else to say. His salvation came from garbled screams coming from over his radio.

"Miller garbled screams Fait- static Tower now assorted demon noises"

Faith and Graham looked at each other for a moment before running back to the office.

"See I was right about the hellmouth" Faith said with out a smile.

Fifteen minutes ago; Agent Linnel stares out the window of his office watching the snow fall. Behind him the door opens.

"Sir? Can I have a word?" came a French accented female voice.

"Yes come in Annette. Have a seat." Linnel offered as he smiled and turned around to face her.

"I prefer to stand, sir" said the tall blonde as she did not return the smile.

Linnel took a limped step then sat in a chair behind his desk, "Annette, you've worked for me for 8 years now, I think. You can relax around me, and actually call me by my first name."

"That wouldn't be professional, sir," she started to say, "And neither was my behavior this morni-"

Her last words was lost in the blaring noise of alarms and flashing red lights. Television monitors unvield on the wall near the couple. Televisions glowed with images through out the building. Demons were rampaging through out the lobby. Other's showed cubicles where demons looked stunned, shocked and screaming. But there were no people. Another monitor showed Berholtz himself riding up to their level in the elevator.

"Annette, get shelter!" Linnel yelled as he opened a closet and pulled out a wicked looking ax. "I don't want you any where near this"

Linnel kicked open the door to the lobby in time to hear a ding from the arriving elevator. The doors opened and Linnel took a ready stance on the balls of his feet. Annette not listening to Linnel as normal simply stood behind the door in the next room watching. Berholtz stepped out casually holding the artifact he had taken from Graham earlier and began a undeciferable chant. Linnel raised the ax to an attack position and charged at the demon. His attack was cut short by a blast from the artifact that knocked him back on the ground.

"Alan!" yelled a shrill voice as Annette ran out of the office to Linnel's side. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't getting up anytime soon. She hugged him and held him protectively as she could hear the demon beginning the chant again. She looked up and saw a similar blast before everything went black.

A few days earlier in LA…

In the dark receses of an abandoned wearhouse demonic drool dripped down and landed on Annette's forhead. I finger then came down and smeared the drop across her head. She was wearing a white ceremonial gown and was struggling useless to be free.

Looking around she couldn't see much in the darkness. She could however make out several figures standing around her. From the sounds of heavy breathing and hard footsteps against the ground he wasn't opitmistic there was going to be an easy way out of this. The leader of demons said something in a language she could regonize, but she was slow to decipher. She had figured out the words 'this sacrifice' a split second before spotting the glint of a knife being raised above her.

"Onint dunoem wumons kutak not!" The demon yelled with the knife over Annette's body. She had managed to translate it to 'debase the beef canoe' which she was confident wasn't correct when a large shattering noise streamed light into the room.

The demons turned and saw three figures standing in the doorway. In front was an extreamly angry man who looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"My name is Agent Linnel. Step away from the girl or feel my wrath!" He reached down and turned a knob on his belt which started a strange electonic hum. He turned to the two man behind him. "Angel, Gunn. I thank you for your help. But the big one is mine."

With that he faced the beasts again and charged in attack. He let out a pained yell as he charge him. Combined with the hum of the belt it was completely hellish. It sent shivers down everyone's spine in the room. Even Angel's who has actually been to hell.

The lead demon looked at the little man and laughed at his pathetic attack. As Linnel got closer he pulled back to through a punch and his upper body started to glow. A Brillant white started from his hands and began to encase the man. His shirt started to burn away in places in places making yellow and orange flames appear here and there.

Confident the demon stood stoic, unafraid of this nuesence. He did until Linnel threw a punch. At first the demon was unaware anything had happened, but started to worry when the man stepped back with a grin on his face and a fading glow. The demon started to feel a pain a looked down. There was now a large hole burned through the middle of his chest. Perhaps he had underestimated the human he thought before he fell over dead.

The other demons blinked and looked stunned at the site of their leader being taken out so easy. They weren't going to make the same mistake and started running for the nearest exit. Angel and Gunn here on top of things.

"Let's get to work" Angel said before the two took off after the others.

"Can we get one of those toys?" Gunn joked following Angel's lead.

Linnel grimaced in pain as his took off the belt. The charred remains of his shirt fell to the ground around him.

"Alan?" Annette asked as she turned to face him from where she was tied to the altar. "You used that device. You said it was suicidal."

"I couldn't live with out you," Linnel said as he approach the altar and cut her free. "It was well worth the risk."

Linnel helped her off the altar. As Annette's feet reached the ground she slipped and fell into the worn agant of whom she's worked with for years now. She looked up into his eyes and he looked into hers. There was something there each of them had been trying to repress and hide. They didn't want to give into the tempation. They knew what it would mean. They also knew what they ment to each other.

Their eyes lost in love they moved closer and closer to embrace one another. Annette was only mere moment away from the experience she had been waiting for her entire life for.

"Beep! Beep!"

Both of the repressed lovers were startled.

"Beep! Beep!" a repeat of the soft beeping shattered the mood.

Linnel recognized the sound and took a beeper out of his pocket.

"Oh hell, we're late to pick up our new recruit." Linnel said as he put the beeper in Annette's hands and stepped away from her to pick up the belt he was using. "We need to keep moving"

Annette was shatttered and furious. After 8 years and countless near death experiences; who could possiblily had been so important it couldn't have waited eight more seconds. The blonde looked down at the pager in her hands and read the name that glowed across the tiny screen of the pager. "Faith"

Present day….

Annette started to stir. She was sore all over a little reluctant to get up quite yet. She was started when she felt something grab her and start to yell at her. Annette's eyes opened to a demon yelling in her face. Fangs and scales and red eyes assulting her vision she screamed and backed away, "What do you want from me?"

"Annette, Annette," the demon said steeping back from Annette, "calm down. It's me."

"Sir?" she questioned, "How do I know?"

The demon walked over to Linnel's desk, took a mirror out of a drawer and tossed to Annette. "Cause you're a demon too"

Annette took the mirror and peered at her reflection. Looking back was a white female demon clearly resemebling herself. Her hair was gone and her skin was stark white. Her eyes were completely red and matched a series of small red markings all over her body. She stood up and put the mirror on the desk and found a couple more obvious changes. For instance she now only possessed three fingers on each hand and a taqil had poked a hole in the back of her skirt.

The elevator dung and Faith ran out followed by Graham.

"Bald is a good look for you" Faith smirked to the demon Annette. "And the tail, sexy I tell you."

Annette simply glared back. She wanted to kill her.

Faith wanted to lay into her more, but time was short. Linnell looked up at Faith behind new red eyes. , "Faith how did you know it was us?"

"Well entire place roaming of demons and wearing your clothes. I'm not an 'A' student, but I'm not dumb." Faith replied, not losing a beat. "Where's big bad?"

"Not sure completely, but he'll probably want to be on the roof to complete the spell in order to effect the entire city."

"Roof got it." Faith nodded, and stepped up to take control of the situation. "Graham, take care of them I'm heading up to take care of Demon Lover."

"And take a picture of this. I want something to laugh about later." Faith added before disappearing into the stairwell.

The roof contained a cornacopia of special effects. Chimineys, air ducts, vents, all were cast in a green light which came from an artifact the demon held above his head. He looked focus as it chanted the transformation spell.

"You know, I don't think everyone is going to enjoy being a demon as much as you do, Scaley." Faith said interupting, standing the doorway of the roof access stairwell. Wind blowing through her hair making the scene quite magestic.

The demons eyes open and glare back at the girl. "Who do you think you are?" He turns and the artifact shoots a blast at Faith.

Faith dives out of the path as the beam rips apart the door behind her. She readies her self and looks up at the demon. "I tend to think I'm the Slay-"

The demon having no respect for witty banter sent a second blast before Faith could even finish her sentence. The green beam knocked Faith back sending her tumbling across the roof.

"You'll be a demon like everyone else." Berholtz coldly stated before turning back around for his chanting.

An Air duct jutting out of the roof stopped Faith's tumbling as she slammed into it back first. Faith winced in pain and opened her eyes to look her self over. She wasn't a demon. She quickly checked her ears, forhead and rear. No tips, horns or tails.

She muttered to her self, "Damn slayer powers might actually cancel this thing out?" She picked her self up and was ready for a second round. Looking around for a weapon she ripped off one of the blades of the Air ducts and made her way twards her nemisis.

Berholtz was back into his trance like chanting. The artifact above his head is glowing brighter and brighter with each passing verse. Then with a short force and a splash of blood it all ended in a moment. The demon looked down to see a hunk of metal through his body. Faith stood behind him holding the blade to see if the demon was going to go down.

The glowing in the artifact started the go chaotic. With the chanting stopped it had no direction and it summed up and started to travel back into the demon's body until it hit the metal in it's body. At which point Faith swore before the energy changed course and channeled into herself, knocking her backwards.

She was sore all over, but got up in time to see the demon fall over dead. She looked her self over again and seeing no demon side-effects got up to fetch the artifact.

Faith returned down to the office rubbing her neck with on hand and the artifact in the other.

"So smashy-smashy and spell reversed, everyone's cool. Right?" Faith said as she got ready to destroy the item.

"NO!" Graham shot out quickly and run to Faith stopping her. "It Doesn't quite work that way. The only thing that reverses the effects is the artifact it self. Destroy it and everyone is stuck, forever."

"Ok so we destroy it after and this wackiness never happens again?" Faith tilted her head and asked.

"Yes" Graham smiled at Faith and took the artifact from her to start the reversal spell.

Hours later Graham reverted the last of the demon's victims to their normal states. "Anyone I miss?"

Linnell comes from behind him, and puts a hand on Graham's shoulder, "Think that is everyone. Good work. Both of you"

Graham gives a small smile, and Faith sitting across the way with her feet up on a table kinda nods.

"Faith, since that's the last of them you want to do the honors and break the artifact. It's thousands of years old." Graham says holding it out to her

Faith smiles, "I like the offer, but your mission army guy. You can have the fun."

With that Graham smashes it on the ground and with a small amount of green smoke it's all over.

"Well, that was kinda anti-climantical. I need a shower." Faith said standing up. She stopped for a moment and looked at Graham. "You still going to be here tomorrow?"

Graham smiles to her, "I have a couple small missions I need to take car of before I go back stateside."

"Good, kinda nice having an other non-canadian around." Faith replied with a small smile before heading off to her room.

In Faith's quarters she streached to get the kicks out from the fight earlier. She peals off her clothes and tosses them on the bed revealing a couple of small purple scales growing on her back. She kinda feels something off back there, but can't quite reach the spot and shrugs it of before entering the shower.

Elsewhere, in Sunnydale…

The glow and sounds of television bounce off the walls of a crypt as Spike sits infront of it flipping through channels.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap crap. Nothing worth watching on the soddin telly."

Spike stands up and tosses the remote on the chair and starts to head out for a drink. Stops at the sound of his name.

"Spike."

The vampire turns about to the television to the image of a demon, Berholtz on the screen.

"Whut's all this? Bloody TV demons now?" Spike comments before walking over to the TV to turn it off.

"Spike, don't! I got a job for you. I need you to kill the slayer."

Spike give the box a look, "Sure, nice offer and all, but 1) you're a box, 2) I can't hurt her cause of the bloody chip in me head, and 3) I've kind of had it with the trying to kill Buffy. Not as easy as it seems."

The image on the TV smiles, "Well I had a different slayer in mind. Don't worry about the chip, It won't work on this slayer."

Image on the TV changes to that of Faith showering.


End file.
